JBRIII

Really understand the service issue. Have DISH and Hughesnet. Every snow or ice storm causes problems, maybe for days or longer. Unfortunately, nothing else, not even DSL lines available. Rural area, each home on ~20 acres, surrounded by state line. COVID has demonstrated the problem for schooling and jobs, but who is going to pay the cost for such low density areas. Everything to house is 200 feet plus and underground, which makes even installation to house expensive. Last service call took 2 weeks.

From my experience, it is going to take a Marshall plan for such areas, or rural america will die completely. Even where available people with kids on basic plans they can afford are finding it no longer is sufficient for schooling and job. My wife finally gave in to retirement 10 yrs ago, as work was going almost entirely to on-line, at home and was impossible from here.

I almost laughed a few weeks ago when Verizon talked about limiting plans to 1TB per month, that would at least a year's worth of my limit, maybe closer to 2.

bobbyjohn Loc: Dallas, TX

The distance technicalities aside...you should make sure that your home network has WPA2 WiFi security. The older technology of WEP and WPA are not that secure anymore.

Or...another way to protect your home network against you neighbors "stealing" your WiFi signal is to name your network something which people never want....name your network "Virus" and no one will want to connect to that.

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

Disabling the broadcast is more secure than naming it something nefarious

As an aside: WPA2 can be broken, just takes more time. Again, as a home user, it's not likely to happen, but there are no absolutes in network security.

chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand

Extenders are a stop-gap and you will never get the full speed possible. If at all possible lay a new network cable through the roof (or wherever) to another WAP at the other end of the house. Plug the other end into your router. This cable, in the future, will work with every combination you like to throw at it.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

My house is about 65 ft long and it's another 50 ft to the chicken coop. The router was upstairs on one end of the house and internet was spotty on the other end and non-existent at the chicken coop. I got a 3-component mesh network. It has a router and two repeaters. So the router replaced the old one, one repeater goes in the middle of the house and one at the other end. Now we have fairly uniform internet, and it reaches the chicken coop. (I have some online utilities in the coop which allows me to turn lights and a camera on in the coop to check status. Having a light go on in the coop at sunset lets the chickens know it's time to go in).

OleMe Loc: Montgomery Co., MD

Some solutios.

Put a splitter on the coax to feed video to one of the TVs. I did this, cutting into the coax feeding the router.

If you have access, run a CAT5 ethernet cable from the router to the remote location. Another router in bridge mode and connect to it via wifi.

Put the Verizon router at a midpoint and run coax from there to TVs.

The possibilities are boundless.

Netgear Nighthawk routers are said to be good for your situation. Butbif there are signal blockers in the way, nay.

Mesh routers arecanother option but tend to be expensive.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Before getting a mesh network I considered running some cat5 cable through the attic and putting a router at the other end of the house. But that would give me two wifi signals with different addresses. The mesh network is all the same address. However, you can set up a second address and password for casual guests. That network won’t have access to online printers or wireless controllers.

The mesh network is more expensive than a single router but maybe not for a couple separate routers. At any rate the mesh is probably a couple hundred bucks, not a real large hit compared to a large computer system.

jbk224 Loc: Long Island, NY

Call Fios and ask them to come in and install an extender/repeater so your wifi reaches all areas of your home and works properly for your wife's iPad. You are paying for this service.
I have done this at least 3x for clients who opted for Fios when they moved into their new homes. Fios service will make sure you are operating at the right frequency and channel.
Mesh networks are great--they do differ and will add cost that you may not need to spend.

Dave H2

Echoing several others above, a mesh network is the way to go. I installed mine a few months back after not having much success using various types of boosters and repeaters. Now have strong signal throughout 2 story 2400 sq ft house including basement and yards outside. Have also installed one in my church to cover two adjacent buildings and the system works fine.
Good luck,
Dave